


Private Eyes

by ohfreckle



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Kissing, M/M, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 12:26:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13271442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohfreckle/pseuds/ohfreckle
Summary: He’s in love. Alec is so in love he sometimes doesn’t know what to do with himself.Alec loves kissing Magnus hello. Some people don't seem to be happy about it.





	Private Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Nope, I'm still not buying that those two kiss like two grandpas. This was supposed to be 500 words, but obviously I have a lot of feelings about the matter.

Tucked between two larger buildings the bar is easy to miss, but not so much that it’s an excuse for Alec to walk by it. He huffs in annoyance and turns at the end of the street, hurrying back until he reaches his destination. 

Only a sign at the plain door hints that this indeed a bar and not a private residence. Alec checks it twice, just to make sure. 

Maybe it’s the aggravation he hasn’t been able to shake off since a Croucher demon attacked him barely fifteen minutes ago, the reason he’s late. Or maybe it’s just his eagerness to get out of the cold. Anyhow, he uses too much force and flings the door wide open, stumbling into the main room amidst loud clatter and a gush of cold wind.

The main room is inviting and cozy, small enough that his mishap doesn’t go unnoticed and almost every head turns in his direction, curious about the sudden ruckus. Alec is used to being the center of attention, it comes with being the Head of the Institute, but that doesn’t mean he likes it. Scowling he resists the urge to roll his eyes, but his aggravation melts away the moment he spots Magnus sitting at a table in the back, surrounded by their friends and family. 

Magnus is laughing at something Izzy is saying. He’s radiant as always with his eyes crinkling and teeth flashing, but his face softens with a warm smile the moment their eyes meet across the room. And as always Alec’s response is immediate, something warm and urgent tugging inside of his chest, drawing him in.

Crossing the room in a few strides, Alec slides into the seat next to Magnus, unwinding his scarf and in the process muffling most of the “Sorry I’m late, demon attack” he offers as an apology. 

His greeting for Magnus is much more heartfelt. 

“Hi,” Alec murmurs, and when he leans in Magnus is already there to meet him. For a brief moment it’s just Magnus’s hot exhale fanning against his lips, too tempting to resist. Alec brings a hand up to cradle Magnus’s jaw as their mouths slot together, his thumb brushing against the soft skin of Magnus’s cheek. Darting his tongue out Alec licks the bite of liquor from Magnus’s lower lip, barely more than a quick swipe, but it’s enough to make Magnus’s breath hitch. 

The kiss lasts only for a few seconds, but it leaves Alec considerably warmer, his lips tingling. A not-so-subtle “Get a room, you two” comes from somewhere behind them, but he’s too content to acknowledge it. Nobody who’s never had the pleasure to kiss Magnus would understand anyway. 

Instead, he leans in again and nips another kiss against Magnus’s lips.

+++

The meeting won’t start for another fifteen minutes, so technically Alec is still on a well-deserved break, but it certainly doesn’t feel like that. 

Not with Maryse stalking through the almost deserted ops room, exuding displeasure with every click of her heels. At least she’s stopped giving orders to the few shadowhunters who are still around and preparing for night patrol, but only after a reminder of who’s the Head of the Institute, and that is a conversation Alec doesn’t want to repeat anytime soon again.

Luke is the first to arrive, over-punctual as always. He greets Alec with a firm handshake, rising a brow when he spots Maryse next to Izzy at one of the stations. 

“Can’t be easy,” Luke remarks, quickly picking up on the tension in the room. 

Alec shakes his head. Not easy is putting it mildly, but that’s his problem and doesn’t concern this meeting, so he just gestures to the open door that leads to the meeting room. “Why don’t you already take a seat, we’ll start as soon as everyone’s here.” 

Alec rolls his shoulders and pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off a headache that’s rapidly building behind his eyes. To be fair, his mother is only partly responsible for his bad mood. He’s tired after a night of restless sleep, and he missed waking up next to Magnus. Their night out yesterday lasted until well after midnight and with a long day full of meetings ahead sleeping in his old room at the Institute had been the reasonable thing to do. But somehow the familiar functional bed doesn’t seem to fit him anymore, feels too cold and empty for him to get a good night of rest. 

A lot has changed in the last year. 

Some things haven’t.

“Where’s the vampire and that warlock?” Maryse’s voice cuts into Alec’s thoughts. He didn’t even notice her coming over; he must be more tired than he thought.

“Mother—”

Next to him Maryse stiffens and inhales sharply. “Where are Mr. Santiago and Magnus?” Her voice is tight, as if calling them by their names and acknowledging them as persons rather than just downworlders pains her, but at least she’s trying. It’s a start if nothing else. 

“They’ll be on time, Luke got here early.” Alec doesn’t bother pointing out again that it’s none of her concern since she won’t be attending the meeting. “Look, why don’t you—”

“Maryse, what a surprise. Alexander!” 

Magnus’s voice is a welcome distraction, but also so much more. Just hearing his name uttered with so much warmth is enough for Alec to release some the tension he’s been carrying all day, and before he’s even aware of it, he’s swiveled around and crossed half the room.

“Magnus,” Alec says, pitching his voice low, and there’s a whole world of meaning in that single word. His hands come to rest on Magnus's hips, sliding up to his waist and back down, pulling him close. 

Meeting Magnus’s eyes Alec searches for the invitation that always seems to be there, noticing that today a flash of copper and midnight blue glitter accentuates their warm brown, but that’s not important. What’s important is the press of Magnus’s lips, meeting him half-way in the space between them. Magnus’s mouth is soft and eager against Alec’s, and he pulls himself closer and up a little with his hands on Alec’s shoulders, his solid body and the firm press of his lips offering the strength Alec needs to make it through this day. 

His mother’s harsh exclamation of _Alec_ is cut short by Izzy’s sharp _Mother_ and Magnus’s gentle hum against his mouth. There’s nothing in his mind but Magnus for those precious seconds, and it’s the strangest thing to realize. No guilt, not a trace of the knee-jerk desire to please her. Nothing but Magnus.

Alec does break the kiss after a just a few heartbeats. Kissing his boyfriend is one thing, and people around here better get used to it, but it’s still his workplace. The least he can do is show a modicum of restraint.

“You better start that meeting, bro.” Izzy taps him on the shoulder, inclining her head towards Raphael who’s just walking in. Her smile is sharp like a knife, but her eyes are soft. “The sooner you finish, the sooner you can get back to it.”

Alec can’t argue with that. 

+++

“Hell—loooo?” Alec closes the door to the loft, vaguely confused.

Izzy and Jace are supposed to be on patrol, but here they are, sitting on Magnus’s couch with an array of empty bottles and take-out boxes scattered over the table front of them, looking as dumbfounded as Alec feels and also a little guilty. 

It’s unusually early for Alec to be home, but after finishing the last stack of reports on his desk he’d decided to treat himself for once and called it a day, looking forward to a quiet evening and hopefully a not-so-quiet night with Magnus. With things still crazy after Valentine’s demise they haven’t had a lot of either lately. 

And now it seems tonight it’s not happening, either, damn it. Alec loves Jace and Izzy, he does, but right now he wants nothing more than for them to go the fuck away.

“What are you doing here?” Jace finally blurts out, swallowing around a mouthful of food. 

That’s rich, even from Jace. Alec’s been cockblocked by Jace taking over the loft to last him a lifetime, and this is what he gets. 

Not tonight. 

“I live here. What’s your excuse?” he snarks, the _go away_ heavily implied. 

“Alexander!” 

Alec hears the soft clinking of glass and there’s Magnus, walking over from the bar, looking like a vision in a carelessly half-buttoned silk shirt that shimmers in every shade between black and red. Alec’s mouth goes dry at the sight of all that soft skin on display, his fingers itching to touch. 

“Izzy and Jace had some important things to discuss.” Magnus steps right into Alec’s space, patting his chest before he throws a quick glance back to the two sitting on the couch. “But we’re done, and they were just about to _leave_.” 

Alec will readily admit that he’s not the most adept at picking up on social clues, but even he can tell that something is going on. It’s got nothing to do with Shadowhunter business, Izzy and Jace would have come to him first with that. So what—

“Wait,” he says, running a hand through his hair with a sense of dread. There’s a small chance he might be wrong, but Izzy is flashing him the wide-eyed grin she only uses if she needs to wiggle out of trouble. Which means he’s probably right. “If this is about my birthday, the answer is no.” September is still months away, but Izzy has gushed about it for weeks, so much so that he’s had to put his foot down more than once. 

“No gifts, we know,” Magnus replies with a long-suffering sigh, skimming his fingers through Alec’s hair and pulling him down for a proper welcome. “Hello to you, too, darling,” he whispers against Alec’s lips, right before he slants his mouth over Alec’s. 

Alec opens up for him immediately with a quiet moan. His heart gives a lurch that he can feel down to his gut. He wonders if there will ever be a time when he won’t feel that heart-clenching need, and by the angel, he hopes that will never happen. 

Their mouths move against each other with familiar ease, the kiss deepening quickly, Magnus’s tongue darting out to slick over Alec’s own, their lips clinging to each other, reluctant to part. Magnus tugs him closer, and if there’s still a hairsbreadth of space between them, it’s gone the moment Alec wraps his arms around Magnus’s waist. For one perfect moment it’s just him and Magnus in his arms. 

And then it’s not. 

“Gross, buddy,” Jace groans from where he’s still lounging on the couch. “Cut it out.” 

+++

It’s cold out on the balcony even with his jacket still on, but it was either cool off outside or punch Jace in the face. 

Resting his elbows on the ledge he watches the bustle on the street below and exhales sharply. Rationally he knows that Jace is nothing but supportive of his relationship with Magnus and his tactless remark nothing but a joke. But it was the third time in as many days somebody reprimanded him for kissing Magnus and Alec is so fucking done with it. 

He’s in love. Alec is so in love he sometimes doesn’t know what to do with himself. He realizes there are boundaries how to express that in the company of others; he’s inexperienced with relationships, not stupid. Hell, Alec is the last person who wants to make a scene or attract any kind of attention, but kissing his boyfriend hello shouldn’t be that big of a deal. Least of all in their own home. 

The soft click of the door announces that he’s got company. Alec doesn’t need to turn around to know that it’s Izzy. 

“If you’re here to tell me how offensive me kissing Magnus is you can spare us both the trouble,” he says, keeping his voice detached. “I think I’ve heard it often enough.”

“Alec, I love you, but you’re the most clueless guy I know,” she chides, leaning next to him against the railing.

Yeah, Alec’s heard that one as well. The worst thing is that most of the time she’s right about it. Either way, he doesn’t have it in him to be mad at her, too.

“Maybe I am, but no more than Simon. I resent that.”

“Well,” she teases, drawing the sound out until he gives in and turns to face her. 

“Okay, shoot. Why am I clueless this time?”

“I really have to spell it out for you, don’t I,” she says with a sad little smile. “Nobody thinks you guys kissing is offensive. They’re jealous, that’s all.”

“What? Why? But that’s ridiculous,” Alec protests, aghast at even the thought of it. “People kiss all the time; there’s nothing to be jealous about.”

“Yes, Alec, people kiss all the time, but nobody kisses the way you do. It’s like the whole world melts away and for that brief moment, there’s just the two of you. It’s—I don’t know, let’s go with shockingly intimate. Makes people feel like they’re watching something they shouldn’t, something they can never have.” She gives him a brilliant smile, her eyes bright and warm. “Don’t let anybody take that away from you, big brother.”

Alec can only stare in bewilderment at her, at a loss for words. He doesn’t have a single doubt that what he has with Magnus is special, he just never thought that others might see it that way, too. 

Izzy pushes herself off the railing with a huff. “Take your time. We still have some things to discuss with Magnus.” 

It’s about his birthday, Alec just knows it. A party seems to inevitable. He sighs heavily. “No gifts, okay, ” he tells her firmly, adding a little softer “So you really don’t mind?”

“Of course I don’t, silly,” Izzy smiles, leaning in to kiss his cheek before she turns to leave. “Now all I have to do is find a man who kisses me like you kiss Magnus.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come and say hi on [tumblr](http://ohfreckle.tumblr.com/) or [twitter.](https://twitter.com/ohfreckle)


End file.
